Fighting for a RePSIval!

If you translate this into another language, PLEASE credit me (lynxian) as the original Japanese to English translator in your release. If you can't/won't do that, then don't use my translation.

[p001]

(top, star) Dyed with a PSI palette of hues!? Impossibly popular, with center color!!(left) "The PSI symbol and two others that are meaningless." This week's PSI slogan model: Saiki Kusuo-san (16) and others

(right) A manga for people who end up wanting to find a reset button for their lives.

Box: There is a game(game note: jinsei = life)Box: that is the most played in the entire world.

Box: Its system resembles that of a traditional RPG.Box: The biggest differences areBox: multiple endings with no set storyline,Box: no save function,Box: the difficulty and initial parameters are completely random,Box: and an inability to restart.

Box: Although the likes of its brutal methods and initial parameters are puzzling at first...Box: just about everyone becomes absorbed in this game!!(left box, top) Hiroshi(left box)LV 22OccupationPart-time warriorEducation3rd-rate universityTitleBookkeeper 2nd classPartnerNone(on all signs) Pass(bottom box)Part-time job interview defeated!Communication ability increased by 1!

Box: University exam appeared!(note: doryoku = effort)

Box: Received attorney's badge!Box (text partially hidden): Would you like to change jobs?Box:YesNoBox: The difficulty is quite high, but by the same token, defeating strong foes really leaves an impression.Box: The excitement of acquiring a rare item here puts other games to shame.(note: dokusin = bachelorhood)

Box: It seemed like fun, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

[p003]

Box: Upon starting it up, I was met with a surprise.Box: My data had maxed stats and money and a complete set of items, all from the get-go.sfx bubble: Hrmsfx bubble: Hrm(bottom right box)Saiki KusuoLv99Money: 9999999999999999999999Play time: 00:02(left box, top) Equipment(left box)Head: Telepath Helm (a helmet that allows you to read an enemy's thoughts. Negates attacks.)Body: Psycho Armor(Raises all attributes to the maximum. Also negates attacks.)Arms: God Hand(Allows you to acquire any item when used. Never breaks and negates all attacks.)Feet: Teleport Boots(Allows you to warp anywhere you'd like. You can even flee from boss battles. On top of that, it also negates all attacks.)Bottom Left Box: And I had the strongest possible equipment, which had been cursed so it couldn't be removed.

Box: The absolute pinnacle of shitty games.Box: Would you want to try playing such a thing?Box: A game with no sense of achievement, excitement, or purpose.

Nendou: Hey, partner!Box: If one were to play this "game of life",

Box: then this guy's situation would be preferable to the extreme difficulty mode.(center box, top) Nendou(center box)Head: Ugly Mask(Leaves those who look at it feeling uncomfortable.)Body: Muscle-Brain Suit(Increases athletic ability, but reduces intellect to 0.)Arms: Father's Wristwatch Memento("Rolex" is written on the reverse side in katakana.)Feet: Sneakers(Gross, because they stink.)Nendou: Let's go eat some ramen~

[p004]

Box: No, as expected, I'd never want to be this guy.Nendou: C'mon, let's go!Box: Stop following me. I'm getting goosebumps.

Nendou: The heck. Do you wanna get curry instead?Box: That's not the issue here.Nendou: Oh?

Nendou: Oooh?! What's goin' on? What's with the crowd?!

Nendou: It's a new ramen place, ain't it?! Let's take a look!!Box: No...

Box: Rather than "ramen", that crowd of people...

Box: seems more likely geared toward an "amen".

[p005]

Nendou: Uooh?!Nendou: What the heck's that ossan doing!!Box: Sheesh...

Box: And this game has no reset button, to boot...Nendou: That idiot!!

Nendou: It's bad luck to go standing on top've a just-opened ramen shop!!Nendou: Be more careful!!Box: This is a cleaner's, though.

Nendou: What're ya doing, ossan!!

(left)Summary of last chapterTh... that butt means...

Man: ...What's this...?Man: Did you come to dissuade me?

Nendou: Dissuade?! More importantly, what're you doing in a place like this?!Nendou: Do you wanna die, ossan?!Box: Obviously, he does.

Nendou: You idiot!! Any way ya look at it, you can't jump from this height!!Nendou: You wanna die, you bastard?!Man: UWAAAH!!Man: What's with you!!Box: You're the idiot here.

(Man): He's making a fool of me! Thinking I don't have the courage to die...(Man): Fine by me... I'll do it...(Man): Huh? What the...?!Nendou: UOOOOH!

(Man): My hands won't budge?!

Nendou: UOOOOOOOOOH!!!Man: Yeek!!Box: If you capture him like that, he'll fall whether he wants to or not.

[p007]

Man: Haah... haah... I give up...Man: Looks like I don't have the courage to die, either...

Man: My hands just wouldn't move an inch from the railing when it counted...Box: Of course. That was my doing.Box: You're welcome to die however you'd like, but it's problematic if you do it in front of me.

Nendou: More importantly, why were you up here?Nendou: Did ya drop some money?Box: He really doesn't seem to get it at all.

Man: A little project of mine ended in failure...Man: And stuck me with a 10 million yen debt. Haha...

Nendou: 10 million?!Nendou: You dropped that much?!Box: Are you even listening at all?

Man: No... it's a debt...basically, I owe money.Nendou: Oh, so you owe 10 million yen...

Nendou: Ooh, I see!! I get it now!Nendou: So that's why you were up here!!Box: Finally realized it, have you...

Nendou: You're in such a dangerous place 'cause you were picking up that money!Nendou: Even so, if you die, it'll all be over, y'know?Box: Go somewhere else for a while.Box: You're keeping the conversation from moving forward.

Nendou: So, where'd you drop it?Man: I'm a musician...

Man: Or so I'd like to say, but it's just plain old indie music.Man: Here's my CD.Box: Well, if it weren't, then you wouldn't be up here.

Box: In other words, this CD hasn't been sold even once...Nendou: What's that? Lemme see it, lemme borrow it, lemme touch it!Man: I guess it was... half a year ago...

(Man): While performing a live show on the road as usual...Man: WOW, oh gods of roooock~♪Man: All around the world, I LOVE YOUUU~♪Man: No more war~Box: Whooboy.

(Man): A guy claiming to be a music producer appeared...Fake: Guhihi... you've got real talent there~ how about releasing a CD with us? Guhihi~Box: He's shady no matter how you look at him.

Fake: Don't worry! Leave it to me, and you'll be a huge hit!Man: R...really?!Fake: Absolutely!! I guarantee it...Fake: GuhiiFake: Now just write your name and sign here, guhihihihi...Man: Alright!Box: He can't even hold back his laughter. What a veritable blob of shadiness.

(Man): And then my CD went on sale, but I heard that apparently only 8 were sold.(top boxes, right side)Cerberus☆CerberusSuppleenGods of RockSoul ShoutsWhat a lovely SHOW TIMEDJ Johnny(top boxes, left side) No rankBox: Selling even 10 would've been tough.(Man): It was nothing like what I'd been told, and when I went to the producer's office, it was completely empty...

(Man): Furthermore, as if dealing a final blow, 10 thousand copies of the CD were delivered to my house...(on card)Invoice10 million yen(Man): along with an invoice for 10 million yen to cover the cost of the CDs' production...

Man: I didn't know that I'd apparently contracted to bear the cost of any CDs which they hadn't been able to sell.Man: It's the same as if I'd just produced them myself.Box: You're just as much an idiot as Nendou.

[p010]

Man: And that's how I ended up like this...Box: This guy's playing the game on a pretty high difficulty, too.

???: Sniff...???: Uwaa...Box: Hm?

Box: What in the world is he doing...Nendou: ...did you make this song, ossan?Man: Y...yeah, I did, but...

Nendou: Ooh! I was able to sell one right away, partner!(behind Nendou) Yaay!Box: That's just extortion!!

Nendou: Something that seems thrown away is actually for sale...Nendou: This's the "Roach Baiting" that's all the rage now.Box:~R.B~An abbreviation for Roach Baiting, more commonly known as Undercover Marketing. It is an advertising campaign conducted in such a way that the consumer doesn't realize it.(left of Nendou) I'm using my head.Box: That's not the same thing at all, you idiot.Box: Hurry up and go give him his money back.

Nendou: What the heck, then how're we supposed to sell'em!!Box: Like he said, it's impossible.Nendou: Argh... Ooh!! Then how 'bout this!!

Nendou: Sing it here, ossan!Man: Huh?!Man: Here?!

Man: It's futile anyway...Man: I'd have done it in the past, but... I'm not young anymore...(sfx) SighMan: Basically, I've already graduated from performing in the streets...Box: What a high and mighty attitude.何メジャー気取ってんだ

[p013]

Nendou: You idiot! That ain't what I mean!!Nendou: Your song really touched me!!

Nendou: That's why you should let'em hear it once!!Nendou: You're not washed up at all!!

Man: Heey there! This is "Soul Shouts"!Man: If you'd like, please give me a listen!Man: We're selling CDs, too!Box: This is just deception.

Box: And, at the time, no one realized that...Man: Well then, please listen to it!

Man: "Gods of Rock"!!

Box: this live street performance that started so abruptly

Box: would go on to be called the "legendary live"...

Box: At the time, no one would have even dreamed such a thing...

[p014]

Box: and so it wasn't able to become reality.

Nendou: Oh! Didja sell'em?Box: Where have you been?Nendou: I went to eat ramen.

Nendou: Huh?! What the heck, you couldn't sell any of'em!!Man: I couldn't sell any...Nendou: On top've that, 2 of'em were broken!!Man: I'm kinda broken... they said I was annoying...

Woman: Oh, same here. Somehow, it just keeps repeating in my head.Man: Me too, me too! It's probably got this addictive quality to it.Boy: I know, right! At first, I'd thought it was some shitty song, butBoy: if you keep listening to it, it kinda grows on you.

Crowd: So, can I have one?Crowd: With this many people, are there gonna be enough?Man: Y...yes. I have 10 million copies, after all!!

[p017]

Crowd: I'd like one, too!Crowd: What's with this crowd?Nendou: Oooh!! They're really selling, just like I thought they would!Box: Oh dear. It seems I somehow ended up sending it out by telepathy...

Box: Telepathy doesn't just receive thoughts from someone else, but can also transmit them.Box: In other words, it appears that the song which was stuck in my head also became stuck in the heads of those around me.

Box: Well, it's not the same as brainwashing, so I don't think he'll sell all of them.Nendou: Hey, he's gonna sell out, ain't he?Box: This is just "stealth marketing", after all.

Nendou: Oh! That's right, I've got a copy in my CD player, too. We've gotta sell this one, too.Box: You're not going to be able to sell it like that...Nendou: But man,

Nendou: this is a real masterpiece~Nendou: This Mister something-or-other song, I mean~

(sfx) Close...Box: That's because it is a famous masterpiece...

(left) A miracle of stealth marketing finally born as a result of Nendou's stupidity...!!

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Notes:

[page 9]Suppleen - This is actually a reference to one of Asou-sensei's short-lived earlier Jump manga (Shinseiki Idol Densetsu: Kanata Seven Change). "Suppleen" is the name of a music group appearing in the series.

[page 11/12]R.B / roach baiting - The term used, ステマ (sutema), is actually short for "stealth marketing". However, after selling a CD, Nendou calls his method 捨テマ (still read as "sutema"), replacing the first character with the kanji for "throw away". This was the best I could come up with for an English equivalent.

[page 17]Masterpiece / a famous masterpiece - The word used, 名曲 (meikyoku), can refer to either a famous piece of music or an excellent one.